Feeder tap



Axig. 28, 1956 n- 2,761,039

FEEDER TAP Filed Jan. 5 1955 INVENTOR.

AGEN

EDWARD P. SMITH.

United States Patent FEEDER TAP Edward P. Smith, Mansfield, ()hio,assignor to The Uhio Brass Company, Mansfield, Ohio, a corporation ofNew Jersey Application January 5, 1955, Serial No. 480,034

'7 Claims. (Cl. 206-4155) This invention relates to electricalconnectors and more specifically to feeder taps for trolley wires andthe like.

it is a principal object of the invention to minimize the danger ofelectrical shock which may be incurred while connecting feeder cablesand the like to live electric wires.

Another object of the invention is to provide a feeder tap which isparticularly adapted for use with trolley wires and which may be usedcontinuously while trolley cars are passing along the trolley wire towhich the tap is connected.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a trolley tap whichis rugged and adapted to stand the abuse usually encountered in miningoperations and the like.

In the art relating to live Wire connectors, two general kinds of tapmeans, generally designated as feeder taps, have heretofore beenemployed for connecting the feeder cable to the live wire. The feedertaps have generally been constructed and arranged so that the connectionis made to the live wire either by clamping two jaws into engagementwith the wire or by suspending a hook shaped member over the wire. Inthe first kind of tap, the electrical contact between the jaws and thewire is achieved by clamping the jaws against the wire either by meansof a screw threaded arrangement or by means of a spring. The second kindof tap depends for the contact between the hook shaped member and thewire upon the pressure brought about by the weight of the I tap and thedepending portions of the feeder cable.

In using such taps for connecting feeder cable to trolley wires, thesuspension tap suffers the disadvantage that the tap cannot be usedwhile a trolley car is passing the location at which the tap is beingused. The spring held clamping taps have generally suffered this samelimitation inasmuch as the spring arrangement is usually employed merelyto increase the contact between the tap and the trolley wire and cannotexert sufiicient pressure to hold the trolley tap away from the path ofthe trolley shoe or collector. The screw type clamping taps, whileovercoming the disadvantage of the suspension and spring held tap,suffered other limitations. Particularly, it has been necessary forworkmen to hold the body of the tap manually while tightening the screwclamp and, since this usually involves reaching about the trolley wire,there is some danger of contacting the live wire.

According to my present invention, I have devised a clamping feeder tapin which the holding and clamping functions have been separated. Thatis, I provide one handle for holding the jaws of the tap in placeagainst the trolley wire, and a second separate handle for clamping thejaws together in engagement with the trolley wire. In this way, I havebeen able to achieve all of the advantages of the suspension tap whileretaining all of the advantages of the screw type clamping tap.

While the features of the novel trolley tap render it particularlyadvantageous for use with trolley wires, nevertheless those features areemployed to advantage when ice the tap is used with other feeder cables,live wires, and generally as a connector wherever electrified devicesare involved.

The invention, together with further features, objects and advantagesthereof will be more clearly apparent from a consideration of thefolowing detailed specification and claims, taken in connection with theappended drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a top view of the trolley wire tap of the invention;

Fig. 2 is an elevation view;

Fig. 3 is a view of the fixed jaw taken in the direction 3-3 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4- is a view of the movable jaw taken from the fixed jaw sidethereof; and

Fig. 5 is a section View taken in the direction 5-5 in Fig. 1illustrating particularly the arrangement of the clamping handle withrespect to the two jaws.

Referring now to Figs. 1 and 2, the feeder tap of the invention isadapted to connect a feeder cable 11 to a trolley wire 12. The trolleywire 12 ordinarily forms part of a trolley system such as is used inmines and the like, while the feeder cable 11 is connected to electricmotor driven tools or appliances which are ordinarily used in connectionwith the mine operations.

The feeder tap 10 comprises a fixed jaw 13, which is held by means of aholding handle 14, and a movable jaw 15, which is moved toward and awayfrom the fixed jaw 13 by means of a clamping handle 16. The jaws 13 and15 have elongated lower portions 17 and 18 which, with recesses 19 and20 along the lower inside surfaces thereof, form complementary wiregripping portions of the jaws. The lower portions of the jaws areadapted to grip either the body of the trolley wire, or only the upperportion of the wire formed by the recesses 21 and 22, so that the jawsdo not obstruct the collector shoe of a passing trolley. Where the tapis employed to make connection to the usual feeder cable, the cable maybe received in the recesses 19 and 20.

As is shown also in Figs. 3, 4- and 5, the body portion of the fixed jaw13 is formed with a rectangular opening 23 and is adapted to receive arectangular shank 24 which projects from the inside face of the movablejaw 15. The shank 24 is guided and restrained by the fixed jaw 13 sothat the two jaws are maintained with the opposing faces incomplementary relationship.

The clamping handle 16 includes a shank portion 25 which has a part 26thereof extending from the end face 27 of the shank and is received in athreaded opening 28 in the shank 24 of the movable jaw 15. A grip ofsuitable insulating material has a stud 30 at the end thereof receivedin athreaded opening 31 in the shank 25. The handle is retained inposition against the fixed jaw 13 by two pieces 32 and 33 which extendfrom the body of the fixed jaw 13 and project into a circunn ferentialrecess 34 formed in the body of the shank 25 adjacent the face 2'7thereof.

The movable jaw 15 is retained in position with the shank 24 in theopening 23 by means of a piece 35 which projects from the upper part ofthe body of the fixed jaw 13 and has the outer end 36 thereof inclinedinward toward the movable jaw.

The holding handle 14 comprises an outer sleeve 40 of suitableinsulating material such as fiber or the like. Sleeve 46 has an asbestoslining member 41 which is fitted Within the sleeve 46 while a metallicplug 42 is threaded into the sleeve 40 at the inner end 43 thereof. Acable connector 44 is received in the outer end of the lining 41 and ispressed against a fuse 45 by means of an in sulating bushing 46 threadedinto the outer end of the sleeve 40. The bushing 46 has an internalopening 47 for receiving the feeder cable 11 Which has a conductor 3 48thereof held by the set screws 49 of the connector 44.

The fixed jaw 13 is supported from the handle 14 by means of a metallicrod 50 which is received in a threaded opening 51 in the fixed jaw atthe inner end of the rod. The outer end of the rod is received in athreaded opening 52 in the plug 42 and is tightened into place while therod is locked in position against the fixed jaw by means of a roll pin53. The rod 50 is covered with an insulating sleeve 54 to guardparticularly against contact with the rod while the handle 16 is beingoperated.

The opening 51 in the fixed jaw 13 and the rod 59 are inclined downwardwith respect to the axis of the clamping handle 16 to accommodate aguard 55 at the inner end of the handle 14. The guard 55 is formed ofhard rubber or other suitable insulating material, and may be held inone hand while the sleeve 4t? is unscrewed from the plug 43 for thepurpose of replacing the fuse 45. The outer portion of the guard 55extends downward over the outside of the sleeve 40 and may be spacedfrom the outer sleeve or contact the sleeve lightly in order to minimizethe danger of shock as set forth in my previous Patent 2,657,290 datedOctober 27, 1953.

In use, the feeder tap is held by handle 14 and the jaws 13 and 15 arebrought into the proper position with respect to the trolley wire 12 bymanipulating the handle 16. The handle 16 may then be turned until thelower portions 17 and 18 of the jaws engage the trolley wire in thedesired fashion. It will be seen that firm positive contact between theengaging portions of the jaws and the trolley wire may be obtained witha minimum effort and that there is no need for the operator to approachthe trolley wire either while applying or while removing the tap.

It is to be understood that the foregoing description is not intended torestrict the scope of the invention and that various rearrangements ofthe parts and modifications of the design may be resorted to, givingeffect to a liberal interpretation of the claims as herein set forth.

I claim:

1. A detachable feeder tap comprising a fixed jaw and a movable jawhaving complementary trolley wire gripping portions, an openingtransversely through the fixed jaw and a shank on the movable jawreceived in the opening in the fixed jaw, a clamping handle having ashank portion engaged with the fixed jaw and a threaded portionextending into the opening and threadably engaged with the shank of themovable jaw, and a holding handle comprising an insulating member andsupport means for the insulating member atfxed to the fixed jaw, a cableconnector within the insulating member and an opening in the insulatingmember at the end away from the fixed jaw for receiving a feeder cable,and electrically conductive means from the connector to the fixed jaw.

2. A detachable feeder tap comprising a fixed jaw and a movable jawhaving complementary trolley wire gripping portions, a rectangularopening transversely through the fixed jaw and a rectangular shank onthe movable jaw fitted in the opening in the fixed jaw, a clampinghandle having a shank portion engaged with the fixed jaw and a threadedportion extending into the opening and threadably engaged with therectangular shank of the movable jaw, a circumferential recess in theshank and a piece on the fixed jaw, projecting into the recess forretaining the clamping handle, a holding handle comprising an insulatingmember and support means for the insulating member aflixed to the fixedjaw, a cable connector within the insulating member and an opening inthe insulating member at the end away from the fixed jaw for receiving afeeder cable, and electrically conductive means from the connector tothe fixed jaw.

3. A detachable feeder tap comprising a fixed jaw and a movable jawhaving complementary wire gripping portions, and an opening through thefixed jaw and a shank on the movable jaw received in the opening of thefixed jaw, a clamping handle having a shank portion engaged with thefixed jaw and a threaded portion extending into the opening andthreadably engaged with the shank of the movable jaw, the said openingthrough the fixed jaw and the said shank on the movable jaw havingcomplementary portions thereof offset from the axis of rotation of theclamping handle so as to prevent rotation of the movable jaw relative tothe fixed jaw, a circumferential recess in the shank and a piece on thefixed jaw projecting into the recess for retaining the clamping handle,a holding handle comprising an insulating membe; and support means forthe insulating member afiixed to the fixed jaw, and means for connectinga feeder cable to one of the said jaws.

4. A detachable feeder tap for trolley wires, comprisin g a fixed jawand a movable jaw having complementary trolley wire gripping portions, arectangular opening transversely through the fixed jaw and a rectangularshank on the movable jaw fitted in the opening in the fixed jaw, aclamping handle having a shank portion engaged with the fixed jaw and athreaded portion extending into the opening and threadably engaged withthe rectangular shank of the movable jaw, a circumferential recess inthe shank and a fixed piece on the fixed jaw projecting into the recessfor retaining the clamping handle, a threaded opening in the fixed jawaway from the clamping handle and a metallic rod received in the saidthreaded opening at one end of the rod, and a holding handle includingan insulating member carried on the outer end of the rod, a cableconnector within the handle for receiving a feeder cable and meanselectrically connecting the connector to the rod.

5. A detachable feeder tap for trolley wires comprising a fixed jaw anda movable jaw having complementary trolley wire gripping portions, arectangular opening transversely through the fixed jaw and a rectangularshank on the movable jaw fitted in the opening in the fixed jaw, aclamping handle having a shank portion engaged with the fixed jaw and athreaded portion extending into the opening and threadably engaged withthe rectangular shank of the movable jaw, a circumferential recess inthe shank and a fixed piece on the fixed jaw projecting into the recessfor retaining the clamping handle, a threaded opening in the fixed jawaway from the clamping handle and a metallic rod received in the saidthreaded opening and a holding handle at the outer end of the rodcomprising an insulating sleeve with a metallic plug toward the innerend thereof threaded on the rod, and a cable connector toward the outerend of the sleeve, a fuse between the plug and the cable connector andan annular bushing threaded in the outer end of the sleeve for clampingthe cable connector against the fuse and receiving the feeder cable.

6. A detachable feeder tap for trolley wires comprising a fixed jaw anda movable jaw having complementary trolley wire gripping portions, arectangular opening transversely through the fixed jaw and a rectangularshank on the movable jaw fitted in the opening in the fixed jaw, aclamping handle having a shank portion engaged with the fixed jaw and athreaded portion extending into the opening and threadably engaged withthe rectangular shank of the movable jaw, a circumferential recess inthe shank and a fixed piece on the fixed jaw projecting into the recessfor retaining the clamping handle, a threaded opening in the fixed jawaway from the clamping handle and a metallic rod received in the saidthreaded opening and angularly spaced from the clamping handle, and aholding handle at the outer end of the rod comprising an insulatingsleeve with a metallic plug toward the inner end thereof threaded on therod, and a cable connector toward the outer end of the sleeve, a fusebetween the plug and the cable connector and an annular bushing threadedin the outer end of the sleeve for clamping the cable connector againstthe fuse and receiving the feeder cable, and an annular guard member ofinsulating material at the inner end of the insulating sleeve.

7. The invention in accordance with claim 6, the said guard member beingsupported by the metallic plug at the inner end of the sleeve andextending over the sleeve 5 to prevent short circuit between the plugand the outer surface of the sleeve.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

